Objectives: To analyze inflammatory markers, adipokines, and hepatokines in obese adolescents with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Study design: We studied high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-1β, and interferon-γ, the hepatokines (fetuin-A and fibroblast growth factor [FGF]-21), and the adipokines (adiponectin and leptin) in a cross-sectional study of 74 predominately Caucasian adolescents with T2DM aged 12-18 years and in 74 body mass index (BMI)-, age-, and sex-matched controls.
Results: Adolescents with T2DM had significantly higher concentrations of hsCRP, TNF-α, and interleukin-1β compared with obese controls without T2DM. Interferon-γ was not detectable in obese adolescents with or without T2DM. In multiple linear regression analysis, hsCRP was significantly associated with FGF-21 and BMI, but not with hemoglobin A1c, adiponectin, leptin, fetuin-A, sex, or age. TNF-α was significantly related negatively to leptin, positively to BMI, but not to hemoglobin A1c, adiponectin, fetuin-A, FGF-21 sex, or age in multiple linear regression analysis.
Conclusions: Increased inflammatory markers are associated with T2DM in adolescents. Because hsCRP was related to FGF-21 and TNF-α was associated with leptin, these findings suggest a link between increased levels of these adipokines and hepatokines and chronic inflammation. Future longitudinal studies in humans are necessary to confirm these hypotheses.
Keywords: FGF21; TNFalpha; adiponectin; adolescents; fetuin; hsCRP; leptin; obesity; type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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